What Lurks Inside
by wordlover1984
Summary: Thousands of years before the Kekkai Barrier was erected a power demon family ruled all of Demon World and looked to concur the Human World and Spirit World as well, but King Enma separated the worlds before too much damage could be done. Now they lurk in the darkness, waiting to be forgotten until it is their time to strike. True power doesn't disappear, it waits.
1. Prologue

Summary: Thousands of years before the Kekkai Barrier was erected a power demon family ruled all of Demon World and looked to concur the Human World as well. Now the lurk in the dark, waiting to be forgotten until it is their time to strike.

AN: For the purpose of this story, I'm setting everything in modern time. I believe Yu Yu was set in the early 90s when everyone's in their mid teens, but I'm going to push everything up a bit.

"Speaking"  
 _Thinking_

Prologue

 **~Thousands Of Years Go – Before The Kekkai Barrier ~**

The cold silence that echoed through the halls of Hollow Castle was a familiar calm to its inhabitants. Five figures stood in the cold, dim light as they waited for their final member to arrive.

"He is always late," a deep and hard voice spoke, his powerful sound breaking the icy still of the room.

"Be calm, Alunk. Zesha is probably out playing," a much softer and calmer voice said.

"Don't defend him, Balum. It is all he ever does," Alunk responded shortly.

"He's just a child," a third, more feminine voice responded with a chuckle. "He's at that age where he just can't help himself. He's meant to be playing." The room went quiet as the small group heard the sound of footsteps sprinting through the halls on the other side of a giant black closed door that sealed the room. The footsteps grew louder and louder until a small figure burst through the door. "Ask and you shall receive."

The small figure stopped abruptly in front of the group, a wild grin plastered on his face. "I'm sorry for being late," the childish voice said with glee. "I didn't realize what time it was."

The new guest, a small boy with elegant features, was covered in a dark liquid from head to toe. His moss green hair was stained with splotches and his golden eyes radiated with joy. He ran over to hug the woman who had spoken just before he entered the room. He stained her clothes and her long pale-purple hair as he squeezed her to him, which in turn made her giggle and here silver eyes sparkled with equal amusement. She patted his head gently, the black demon blood tinting her pale white skin as she did so.

"Demons again," Alunk said with an icy tone as he got a whiff of the smell of demon blood that came for the boy. "You should be hunting in the Human World, Zesha."

"But demons are so much more fun than humans. At least they put up a fight."

An elegant cough reverberated through the room, effectively gaining the attention of all persons in attendance. "My sweet children," the lyrical voice said from the darkest part of the room. Her outline could barely been seen in the dim light as she sat in a large throne, but they didn't need to see her physical appearance. Thousands of years living together left nothing to the imagination. "As happy as I am to have you all home again, I'm afraid I have to troubling news." Five pairs of eyes looked upon the owner of the voice, all with different emotions reflecting upon their faces. "Spirit World is making a most unfortunate move against use. They are planning on creating a barrier between the Demon World and the Human World."

The woman was met by a mixture of responses. Annoyance, anger, amusement, passivity and boredom.

"They can't do that. Can they, momma," Zesha asked in his childish voice.

"Of course not." Shi spoke with a stern, yet irritated voice. His piercing rose red eyes shined in what little light was in the room. "Spirit World doesn't have that kind of power."

"But they do, my son," the woman replied softy. "The arrogant King of spirits has found a way to block most of demonkind from leaving Demon World for good." The woman was met by her children screaming over each other.

"How dare they! What makes them think they can cage us like animals?" Alunk's midnight blue eyes spoke volumes of disgust.

"They're doing this just to antagonize us," Shi spit out as he backed his brother. "They want to start a war with us. Clearly they haven't learned anything."

"If this is true, then we should recall those who are currently in Human World," Balum said calmly. "We need to bring them back and-"

"That is enough, children." The woman's voice elevated, but was still soft enough to be stern. "I know that this is an...inconvenience for us, but I have already set a plan into motion." Her head turned to face the young woman to her left. "Mui, you are going to go to Human World before the barrier is erected."

All eyes turned to the young woman. Zesha loosened his grip on the woman he clung to and looked up at her. "You're...you're leaving us," he asked as he childish voice started to break.

Mui's gentle face and silver eyes held a smile for the boy. "It looks like I am," she replied softly. She turned her face to the woman on the throne, her smile fading. "What would you have me do, mother?"

The smallest of smiles graced the hidden woman's face. "Live amongst the humans, my dear. Sleep until those fools in Spirit World forgets about us. And when the tim-"

"No," Zesha screamed. "No, she can't leave. I won't let her." The air the room became cold and a breeze with seemingly no origin began to pick up as he squeezed his big sister tightly. "Momma, you can't let her leave!"

"Stop your crying," Shi shouted at the boy, being fed up with his younger brother's antics. "Do not sob in the presence of your queen!"

The woman on the throne chuckled softly, the small noise once again silencing her children. "I'm a mother first and then a queen, Shi. Don't forget that."

"Yes, mother," he responded as calmly as he could, though he glared at his brother. If there was one thing Shi couldn't put up with it was Zesha crying.

"Mother, if I may," Balum asked. His cold, midnight blue eye seemed lifeless, as if he couldn't care less about the conversation and his bickering siblings. "How do you know this to be true? How do we know this isn't another bit of false intelligence from our spies within Spirit World? How can we trust them? Send one of us to Spirit World to confirm this."

"No, Balum. I have been tracking this lead for a long time to make sure this isn't another trick by King Enma. It seems he does not want to uphold his side of our deal." Mui and Balum exchanged glances. A silent understanding passing between them at hearing King Enma was not keeping his bargain.

"Of course he doesn't, that coward," Shi said with the most powerful venom in her voice.

"Shi," the woman spoke as she looked directly at her oldest son. "No more outbursts, understand?"

Shi cast his eyes to the floor. "Yes, mother."

The woman smiled at him before returning her gaze back to her fourth child. "Mui, you must leave us tonight. Hide in the shadows of the Human World until we become a distant memory in his mind. Wait until we come bedtime stories for all apparitions and then you may strike."

"What would you have me do?"

"Use your talents and raise an army. Once your militia is ready you need to create a to distract the King. While he is looking towards you, we will make our move."

"But if he's making a barrier, how is she going to ever see us again," Zesha ask as he tried to hold back his tears.

"You will see your sister again, my little one. You will just have to wait. Once she distracts the King in Human World, we will make our move on the Spirit World. That barrier only blocks passage between Demon World and the Human World, not from Demon World to the Spirit World."

It took Zesha a few moments to understand his mother's plan, but he didn't like it. He loved his big sister more than anything and he didn't want to let her go. The wind in the room started to pick up as a singer tear fell from his eyes.

"None of that now," Mui said as she smiled back down at her brother and smoothed his hair. "You know I'll be back. Nothing could keep me from you."

"But...but..."

"No buts, Zesha. I have to do this. I have to go." She kissed the small boy on the forehead and gave him one final smile. "Be a good boy for me."

Zesha couldn't hold back his tears anymore and began to cry. Seeing her little brother weeping for her broke Mui's heart. Silently, Balum walked over to her siblings and gently pulled the boy from her sister. Zesha started thrashing about and calling for his sister, but Balum held him close.

Without a goodbye or a backwards glance Mui headed through the doors her brother had entered through earlier and briskly walked the halls of her home. A single cold tear fell from her silver eyes.

This was the first time she would be leaving her family for a mission she knew would take longer than a few hundred years and it was all because if King Enma.

"How dare you, you foolish king," Mui growled into the darkness, her domineer changing from calm and smiling to vengeful. She wished she could have had a proper goodbye, but when her mother gave an order, the wisest thing to do was to carry it out as soon as possible. Lingering was not the wisest option.

Mui is the fourth of the Five Lords of the Queen Mother. The oldest demons in existence, next to her mother, the self proclaimed queen of all demons. A title that was rightly earned.

The Queen was the first of all demons. She has given birth to millions upon millions of demons, but her first five are her true accomplishments in life. For their births she made sure to gift her children with abilities that could not be equaled to any other.

Shi, her first born, was the reason she is able to know what love is. His rose red eyes and beautiful silver hair captivated her from the moment she saw him. He never cried as a child, he just had a short temper that she found adorable. His brutality towards others made her love him more and more with every passing century.

Then came Alunk, her second son. She knew from the beginning that he would be stronger than Shi in physical strength, which would cause fights between the two young boys. Nonetheless, he was beautiful to her. He rarely spoke, unless he was upset. She could look into his crystal blue eyes forever. They were mesmerizing orbs that would work in his favor later on in life.

Balum was her first daughter and by far the calmest of the five. From the moment Balum drew her first breath her mother knew that the baby would a fearsome creatures. Her face was soft and gentle like a flower, something that all would cherish. Her thick blood red hair and midnight blue were a perfect contrast to her ghostly white skin. As she aged her looks became more striking and she used her vanity to her advantage. Many wouldn't not believe someone so frail could be so strong.

Mui, her only child that understood the meaning of balance, was fourth and most powerful child. The silver eyed child had a joyous way about her. There was an aura around her. A feeling that would make all bow to her. She wasn't as cruel or vengeful as her older siblings, but when she was filled with rage she became a true force to be reckoned with. Typically she tried to see the good in everything and to find a peaceful outcome, but she wasn't above standing up for what she believed in. She was an obedient daughter and did exactly as she was told without question.

Then finally came Zesha. He was her playful child. He found amusement in torture and murder more than her other children and she loved it. Watching her baby boy play with the corpses of his enemies was one of the Queen's greatest pleasures. His bright gold eye were a gateway to his emotions. He couldn't hide anything from anyone, especially his love for Mui. She was the only one of his siblings to take the time to play with him on a regular basis, so he depended on her for almost everything.

Next to her first five children, the Queen gave birth to millions of other demons, as did her children. All of demon kind came from her and her Five Lords. She was able to give her Lords specific power, but didn't care what she gave to the others. Over time, it was clear that some were more powerful than others. Spirit World grouped them in classes from E to S. The lower classes demons disgusted her and she felt ashamed that something so weak could come from her, but then there were the A and S class demons. They were closer to her power level, but still were not any sort of a threat. However, she did use them to her advantage when needed.

The Queen Mother and her Five Lords were the nightmares of all Demon World. She had raised her chilren to not talk back and to listen to her every word. Most revered them as gods while other were so arrogant to believe that original family was a myth. Some tried to fight the family for dominance, but none prevailed.

Though they ruled all of Demon World from the shadows, the Queen's sights were set on more. She wanted Human World and Spirit World as well. The Neither World never interested her, but she would take it as well one day.

And so began the war between the Queen of Demons and King of Spirits. For every attack one made, the other would counter. The Five Lords were in charge of the Queen's demon army, but rarely got their hands dirty. They did exactly as their mother instructed, nothing more and nothing less. They often complained that they felt their talents weren't being used to their full potential, but the Queen was no fool. Though she knew her children could hold their own in any fight, she was frightful of the tricks King Enma had up his sleeve. He always had something that could cause her and her children trouble and she was not about to let anything happen to them.

After thousands of years of fighting, the Queen Mother and King Enma came to an agreement to stop the bloodshed. Enma was to marry either Balum or Mui in order for their family to gain more control and in return they would never set foot in the Human World again. With his back to a corner, he agreed.

But then came the rumors of a barrier the Spirit King was creating. The Queen sent spies to Spirit World to find out if they were true and what she found out enraged her more than anything ever had before. She had always been a woman of her word and found it despicable when other did not hold their end of a deal. So she made a plan to make the lying King pay. She would send her most powerful weapon to the Human World before the barrier went up. She would have Mui sleep for as long as it took and use her powers of blood control to raise an arm against Spirit World while she and her children would create a secret army in Demon World. When the time was right a new war would begin.

As Mui exited Hollow Castle she knew exactly what she would do and how to do it. Living in the Human World would be difficult for her, but she would do what was asked of her.

But just as she was about to depart her home world her mind began to catch up with her. If her mother was ordering her to leave immediately, than the barrier must be going up very soon. It also meant that her mother didn't find out about the barrier until it was too late.

Her mind then drifted to her siblings. She would miss them all, especially Zesha. Her sweet little brother would be so much older the next time she saw and she'd miss so much of his life.

Mui felt bad leaving the way she didn't. It wasn't a proper goodbye. She acted more like a soldier than a daughter, but that's what she was. Mother had said that she is a mother first and a queen second, but for her children it was the other way around. They were brought up to list and obey, not to question her at any moment. If she had ordered them to kill each other, they would. So when the very brief and barely detailed conversation among the six of them ended and she was ordered to leave, she left. Her feelings didn't matter, only mother mattered.

AN: Forgive me if you think this is vague. More will be explained later on, but for now you can only have a taste of what is coming next. PLEASE R&R


	2. Ch 1 - New Home

AN: I'm rearranging some things. For those who read the original prologue you'll notice that there are some things that reflect it, but it's not the entire thing. That part will come later. Sorry if there is any confusion. I also rewrote and edited this while I was half asleep. Forgive any errors.

"Speaking"  
 _Thinking_  
 _ **Mui**_

\~/~\~/

 **Chapter 1: New Home**  
The halls that lead to Koenma's office were cold and silent. A swift chill ran up the back of the human guest as he turned to face the large double doors of the Spirit Prince's office. He had taken this stroll many times before and no longer needed a guide.

A large, powerful hand pushed on one of the doors and it slowly opened. The man slipped through the door and quickly closed it behind him.

"Good evening, Jackson," Koenma said from his desk on the other side of the room. He watched as the young man in front of him started closing the distance between them. A wide grin spread across the human's face. "I trust everything went well."

"When doesn't it," the human replied. Jackson He was the definition of a teenage heart throb. Tall, dark hair, sky blue eyes, handsome and possessed a personality that won the affection of almost everyone he came in contact with. These traits often made his job as a Spirit Detective easier. His charm would help him get the information he needs and often makes his enemies look at him as a joke. However, Jackson was far some being a joke. "Five dead demons, just as you asked."

"I didn't ask you to kill them."

"Yeah, but they weren't the negotiating type," Jackson said as he stopped in front of his boss's desk.

Koenma smirked at the boy's happy-go-lucky demeanor and sat back in his chair. "As pleased as I am to hear this, I doubt you came all the way here just to tell me about the success of your latest case."

"No," Jackson replied with a bit of hurt in his voice, but the spark in his eyes and smile never faltered. "No, I actually...I came to ask you a favor."

"Of course. Anything for my least arrogant and annoying detective," Koenma replied with a hint of amusement. He leaned forward now, eager to hear about the young man's request. The young human wasn't the type to ask for anything.

Jackson laughed whole heartedly. "You're still having troubles with that guy? What's his name? Yuski? Yuze?"

"It's Yusuke and when don't I?"

"If he can get under your skin that badly, I'd like to meet him some day. He sounds like a fun guy."

"If you do, maybe you can teach him some manners. Now, what can I do for you?"

Jackson let out a small sign. His shoulder's slouched slightly and he lost a bit of his overall glimmer. Most people wouldn't notice it, but Koenma could. Jackson was always happy and smiling, but there was always one thing that could make him loose his cool. One person to be more specific.

"I just put her on the plane...right before a I came."

"I see," Koenma said as he tried to hide his smirk.

"She's so excited and she'll love it, I know she will. I just...we've never been apart before. Not like this."

"You want me to watch over her?"

Jackson broke eye contact and looked down at the ground, something he never did. "Yes, I mean...could you? Not that you have to do it personally, but...maybe guide her to some people. Someone to show her around until she gets comfortable. I mean, she makes friends easily, no problem, but...I don't know. Introduce her to Yusuke, maybe." A smile started to spread across his face again as the idea popped into his head. He picked his head back up again to show Koenma his smile. "If anyone can set him straight, she can."

Koenma pretended to ponder the request, but they both knew he would do what was asked of him. Jackson had been one of Koenma's favorite Spirit Detectives and a was by far the easiest to work with. The teen had manifested his spirit powers at the six years old and quickly adjusted to his gifts. Though it wasn't a surprise since he came from a family where almost everyone had spirit energy. However, he was the strongest that had ever been and the only one to gain Spirit World's attention. When he turned thirteen he was approached by Koenma and offered a very dangerous job, which the young boy accepted eagerly. Five year later the young boy has turned into a very powerful young man.

His friend however, this girl, had also been of interest to Koenma at one point. As Jackson was being recruited for the Spirit Detective position he had made it clear that his friend knew his secret. They had been friends at a very young age and he had shown her some of his ability. For years, Koenma assigned an agent to follow the girl from afar, just to make sure she wouldn't spill any of the young man's secrets. Not only did she keep his secret, but she encourage him to sharpen his skills and become the best detective he could be.

"Of course I will look out for her."

"Thank you, sir," Jackson said as he bowed to his superior. "Thank you so much."

"You know you could've moved with her. There is room for more than one Spirit Detective in Japan."

"And leave the Big Apple defenseless? Not a chance," Jackson replied with a chuckle, standing up straight again. "Nah, this is her dream, not mine. And it's not like I'm not going to visit."

The two continued to chat idly until a blue haired girl came running into the room, her pink kimono rustled with every step. Jackson silently backed out of the room as she began bombarding Koenma with the latest information of some case. He had seen the woman before, but had never really spoken to her. He knew she and Koenma had a strong bond and she worked with another detective. Beyond that, she was a mystery.

As me made his way towards his ride back to the Human World, Jackson's heart began to sink. He had done what he had gone to Spirit World to do. He had asked Koenma for to watch out for his best friend. The woman who had been like a sister to him since they were small. The woman who was moving to the other side of the world to follow her dreams. The only real friend he had left him just a few hours ago and it was breaking his heart. But he knew Koenma would keep his word. He knew she would be safe without him.

\~/~\~/

Between the delayed departure, a flight that was over 12 hours long, an excruciating tax ride and fighting with the doorman to let her into the building, Sarah was exhausted.

"I'm starting to regret this," she grumbled as she stumbled out of the elevator and onto the floor where her new apartment awaited her, dragging her suitcase behind her and adjusting her camera bag on her shoulder.

 _ **Come now. You're only saying that because you're tired,**_ a harmonious voice echoed in the girl's head.

"Of course I'm tired. You would be too."

 _ **Actually-**_

"Save the 'actually.' I'm not awake enough for them." Sarah pulled a key and a piece of folded paper out of her jean pocket and opened it up. It read 6C, the number for her home. She walked down the hall, stumbling every other step as the thought of laying in bed and never waking up consumed her. As she walked she passed a large mirror that hung on the wall in the hallway. Against her better judgment she stopped to look at her reflection. "I look like a corpse!"

She placed her left palm on her cheek and sighed. Dark circles formed under her eyes and her tight curly hair was frizzy and sticking out in every direction. Her typical mocha colored skin looked paler than normal. Next to her stood a pale, ghostly figure with godlike beauty. Silver eyes were looking into Sarah's dark brown ones in the mirror and they held a hint of amusement. Had anyone walked passed them, they wouldn't see the tired girls companion standing next to her or her reflection in the mirror.

 _ **You're just tired. You will feel like yourself again once you get some sleep.**_

Turning from her reflection Sarah continued down the hall. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

 _ **You knew what you were getting into. You have taken this trip before.**_

"Yeah, but-"

 _ **No buts. Your cranky from being tired. Once you get some rest you will feel much better. You should also have to eat.**_

"No food, just sleep."

 _ **Just have something small li-**_

 **"** No food, just sleep," Sarah repeated, just a tad more stern and louder. She knew she was acting bratty. Normally she would never talk to anyone, especially Mui, her secret guardian angel and friend, as if she was a child, but she was sleep deprived and was, as Mui put it, cranky.

 _ **Don't get mad at me when you feel sick later,**_ Mui responded in a knowing, even tone.

Sarah inserted they key into the lock and turned once she found the door that read 6C. There was a clicking sound as the lock was undone and she pushed the door open. Inside was a very large and very beautiful apartment. As she walked into the apartment she took in her surroundings.

The small entry hallway had a closet to her left. It was very spacious and she knew it would be full in no time. The main room of her apartment was an open concept. After walking through the hall came the kitchen. The cabinets were a dark brown color and the granite countertopswere a mix of white and grey and the backsplash was a pattern of black, grey and white tiles. The island mimicked the look of the cabinets and all of the appliances were brand new and chrome.

Then came the dining room table. It was a simple black table with six black chairs around it.

On the other side of the of the table was the was a long grey sofa, that could pull out into a bed, with three square throw pillows on it. In front of it was a rectangular black coffee table that looked like a smaller version of the dining table and across from it on the wall was a large mounted flat screen TV.

"Oh god," Sarah groaned as she slid her bag off her shoulder and let go over her baggage. "This is too much."

 _ **She just wants you to be comfortable.**_

"I would be comfortable in a normal apartment. Not a mansion. I don't need all...all of this."

 _ **Call your grandmother and say thank you. Do not be bratty.**_

"I'll call her tomorrow."

 _ **Sarah.**_

 _"_ I promise."

Boxes littered the entire kitchen and living room, forcing the girl to maneuver through the maze of cardboard. They were all labeled in her grandmother's handwriting and it made Sarah miss the woman dearly. As she moved passed the dining table she walked through the hallway behind it. Down that hallway was three doors and a closet with sliding doors. There were two doors to her left and the remaining door and closet on the right. She headed to the one to the back, the one that had the boxes that read 'bedroom' on it, and went in.

Inside the room was a queen sized bed and more boxes. Sarah dug through the boxes until she found pillows and a large blanket. She flopped on the mattress, tucked the pillow under her head and wrapped herself in the blanket. The bed sheets were still packed away, but she didn't care. All that mattered was sleep.

As she drifted off to sleep Sarah's invisible ghostly friend smiled down at her. She took in the girl's slumbering form. Her messy wad of curls, her slowly rising and falling chest. Adoring eyes sparkled with love and affection toward her.

Mui was the girl's shadow friend. Nobody else could see or feel her. She was Sarah only secret in life and her eternal guardian. She loved her beautiful human host like a mother would a daughter.

 **~Human World: 1993~**

 **Mui's POV  
** I remember the day I met my child as if it happened a moment ago. It was a beautiful sunny day, something out of a human's fairy tale. I had lived among the humans for over 4,000 years and I never met a child like her before. This small human child's soul sang to me the moment I saw her. She was small, still I toddler I believe. They all look alike at that age to me.

She had a smile that made my heart melt. Being as old as I am, I have seen billions of children smile, but her's was something to admire. She made me feel at peace with the Human World. She made me forget how much I had come to hate it and humankind.

"Do you want a flowar," she asked me in her high pitched voice. In her little hands was a bent dandy lion. Her mispronunciation of flower was the most adorable thing I had heard in centuries.

I had hidden myself away in another human around 20 years before I had met her, my latest host, and we had taken my vessels child to the park. My demon abilities allow me to mold myself into a human host and lay dormant until it dies and only my host can see or hear me, if I allow them to. As long as I stayed quiet they never knew I was there and the longer I stayed the more of my power they would absorb into themselves. This would eventually make the weak and die, but it was a small price to pay for my existence. When they perished, I'd simple move to another host.

My host, Clare was her name, had taken her son to a park that was full of other parents and children that day. I always found children to be adorable, but their parents who always wanted to exchange parenting types annoyed me. Clare took the flower from the litter girl with a smile. "Thank you, sweetheart," she replied in her disgusting high pitched voiced. What was cute with children was not cute for adults.

But the child didn't leave after handing Clare the small flower, she just continued to smile up at us. "I like...umm...I like youah peerpuh haya."

"My what," Clare asked.

"Youah peerpuh haya," the child repeated slowly, as if she was trying to dumb down her sentence.

"I don't understand."

The little girl's face twisted in anger. "Youah peerpuh," she half shouted as she pointed to the purple shirt she was wearing and the to her curly brown hair, "haya."

"Oh, my purple hair?"

The smile returned to the little girls and she screamed yes as she started to clap her hands. That's when I knew this child was special. She didn't see Clare, she saw me. Had she seen Clare she would've seen a 36 year old woman with poorly colored blond hair. Instead she saw my purple hair.

For the first time since I entered Clare I allowed myself to take control of her body. Clare became a back seat passenger in her own body. Although my physical appearance stayed hidden to the rest of the world, my persona took over Clare's body. To those who knew Clare, they would see her acting different. They couldn't actually see me for who I was, but it appeared that this human could.

"Can you see me, child," I asked the little girl calmly. She giggled and nodded her head. "What color are my eyes?"

"Red."

She had been so proud of that answer, but it was wrong. I couldn't help but to laugh at her anyway. "No, try again." I had forgotten that human children don't retain information as quickly as demon children do.

"Red," she said again, still believing that she was right.

"No. This is red," I replied softly as I pointed to the red purse Clare had brought with her. "My eyes are they same color as the clouds. What color is a cloud?"

"White!"

"Yes, very good." I didn't have the heart to tell her my eyes are actually silver, but it was close enough. "What's your name, child?"

"Tharah."

"Tharah. That's interesting."

"No, Tharah."

"Is that not what I said?"

"It's Tharah!"

She gave me the same glare that she gave Clare during their brief purple hair conversation. I thought of all the names that would rhyme with Tharah and my first hunch was correct. "Do you mean Sarah?" She nodded her head vigorously with the biggest grin imaginable.

"Sarah, would you like to be friends?" She nodded. "Good."

I reached a hand out to her and rested it upon her small cheek. This small human, this one creature, somehow saw me for who I am. Clearly she was a powerful psychic if she could see through my vessel at such a young age. I would like to admit that I chose her because I was intrigued by her gift, but that is not completely true. I could feel something in her calling out to me and I needed to know what it was.

I had to have her. From that moment on, I would be by her side forever. She was the first thing in a very long time that intrigued me, that made me smile. Finally, there was someone I could talk to. I knew she was going to be something special and there was nothing that was going to take her away from me.

"We'll be together forever," I said softly before leaving Clare and jumping into Sarah.

It broke my heart to hear her cry. Transferring bodies was always a painful process for my hosts, especially for children. Though to normal humans they couldn't see me move into her body, she felt the pain of having to absorb all of my power. It has always sent my host to the hospital for a month long stay. Since human bodies are so frail it takes them a while to get acclimated to my presence. And every time the doctors can't find the cause to their suffering, but that's simply because they don't know how to find me. But Sarah was only sick for a week, which was already a good sign that I had chosen wisely.

At first I came to her in her dreams while she was still in the hospital. She had been dreaming of puppies and kitties. I made her believe that I was a figment of her imagination, but over time I opened up to her. In time I told her just enough of who I am, enough for her to understand why I was in the Human World, but this took many years. For her younger years, I was just the voice in her head that kept her safe. The guardian demon that was always with her, but could never be touched. I would allow her to be able to see me in mirrors, but nobody else ever could. Since I was in her head she could only see what I wanted her to see.

She is my child, my little girl. I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone and no matter what came our way, I would keep her safe and away from danger. And once the upcoming war ended I would make sure to keep her by my side.

\~/~\~/

AN: PLEASE R&R


	3. Ch 2 - Surroundings

"Speaking"  
 _Thinking_  
 _ **Mui**_

\~/~\~/

 **Chapter 2: Surroundings**  
 **Sarah's POV**  
The sunshine coming through my bedroom window hit me square in the face. I turned my head aware from the light, but between that and Mui's disgustingly perky morning voice, I slowly got up. She had always been a morning person, something I could never understand. I hated mornings. They took me away from my dreams.

 _ **Good morning**_ _,_ she said softly. I opened my eyes to see her looking down at me. Her long purple hair rested on the bed next to me even though she was sitting up perfectly straight.

"Morning." I stretched out and yawned, but didn't get up. "What time is it?"

 _ **It seems to be around eight. The birds started chirping about an hour ago.**_

"Uhh, that's still too early."

 _ **Nonsense. You have a lot to do today. It's time to get up.**_

"Can't it wait?"

 _ **Only if you want to live in this mess.**_

She was right and I hated it when she was right this early in the morning. I pushed the comforter off of me and slowly sat up. I groaned as I looked at all the boxes in the room. "There is so much stuff. There is no way I need all of this."

 _ **Don't forget that there is more in the hallway and the kitchen.**_

I groaned again, moved off the bed and maneuvered out into the hallway. Of course, more boxes. I moved passed these as well and started going through the boxes in the kitchen. After rummaging through a few boxes I found what I was looking for.

"Oh happy day," I cheered as I took the coffee maker out of the box and set it on the kitchen counter. As I was plugging it in Mui hit me with another bit of morning wisdom.

 _ **You don't have any food in the house, my Flower.**_

My Flower. That was her nickname for me. I turned my head to glare at her. She was standing a few feet away from me, smirking. No food meant no coffee. She knew what I was after and once I got excited she decided to remind me that I still had to go shopping.

 _ **Had you listened to me last night, you could have had something to eat and coffee.**_

"You're getting too much amusement out of this."

 _ **Only a little.**_

I smiled at her and went to my suitcase on the floor. I opened it up and pulled out a change of clothes and my toiletry bag. Then I headed back to the hall I had emerged from and opened every closed door until I found the bathroom. Inside was, of course, more boxes. After searching through a few of them I found a towel and wash cloth. I flung the cloth in the shower and turned on the hot water and placed the towel on the long bathroom sink. I headed back to the boxes and pulled out my shampoo, conditioner, a brush and soap before discarding my clothes then went to my toiletry bag and pulled out a travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste.

The warm water raining down on my skin was like heaven. It washed away all my pent up frustration from yesterday. It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life and after being dropped off at the airport everything went to crap. Security took forever, the flight didn't leave when scheduled, the child two rows in front of me screamed almost the entire time, the taxi driver got lost on the way here, and the doorman...uhh, the doorman. He's such a jerk

"Sorry I was so snippy with you last night," I said as I brushed conditioner through my hair.

 _ **It's alright, my Flower. I understand.**_

"Today is going to be such a long day."

 _ **And what could be better than taking a morning stroll? You'll be able to get to know your surroundings.**_

"I think you're just antsy to wonder around."

 _ **I'm just excited for you. You're following your dream and going for what you want. Now is the time in your life for you to enjoy yourself.**_

I smiled and rinsed my hair. In no time at all I was ready to go. Can't go wrong with a pair of dark jeans and a simple black shirt. I pulled my hair into a loose pony-tail, the damp ends of my curls resting just below my neck. After finding my wallet in my suitcase and slinging my camera back over my shoulder I left my new home and headed out into my new surroundings.

 _I just realized I have no idea where I am,_ I thought to myself as the crisp morning air hit my face as I stepped outside. People were coming in and out of the apartment building, but I didn't want them thinking I'm crazy. Seeing a girl talking to herself isn't the first impression she'd like to make on her new neighbors.

 _ **You have two options. Ask for directions or pick a direction and start walking.**_

I chose option two and started walking. Asking for help would be too easy. I moved to the other side of the world to explore and experience new things.

 _Do you think it's too early to call Gigi?_

 _ **She is most likely in bed by now. Try giving her a call later tonight.**_

I nodded and thought about my Gigi. I missed my grandmother dearly. She's the entire reason I was able to move to Japan. She had known that I always wanted to live somewhere abroad, but when I told her about why I wanted to live in Japan she practically kicked me out the door. She had taken care of everything for me and I am eternally grateful. I often felt that it was a little too much, but that was my Gigi. She did everything a hundred and ten percent.

My morning walk took longer than I would've liked. Typically I would enjoy it, but when I'm craving coffee I become a little snippy. Although, Mui wasn't having any of it and quickly put me in my place. I don't know what I'd do without her.

As I wondered around I took note of the stores around me. There were two small drugstore a few blocks away from my apartment, a pet store a few blocks away from them, a grocery store, a book store and a car wash. I made sure to memorized them so I could remember how to get back home and I took pictures of everything as I went. People, flowers, street signs. Nothing was safe from my lens.

After about a half hour of roaming around my cravings took over. I needed food.

 _What do you think of this place¸_ I asked Mui as I started walking up to a cute cafe called Cafe Cake. There were decorative pastries and desserts in the front window. _Look at all the cute cakes!_

 _ **It's your first day in a new place. I won't scold you if you have cake for breakfast.**_

I giggled at her approval and darted inside.

The cafe was bright and open. There were small chandelier hanging from the high ceilings and beautiful photographs of cookies and cakes hung on the walls. There was a small line forming already, which worried me a bit. My stomach was growling and I was afraid people could hear it.

 _What should I get? Chocolate? Strawberry? Oooh, look at those macaroons._

I didn't get a reply, just a chuckle. Mui is able to feel the things I feel when she exerts some extra energy and that includes taste. So when it comes to food I try to eat things that she would like as well. However, sometimes we don't agree. I like tomatoes and she hates them. She enjoys escargot and I can't stand the smell of it.

 _ **Get whatever you like, Flower. Today is all about you.**_

When it became my turn to order I think I freaked out the girl at the register. I think I came across a little too smiley, but that's how I get when I'm hungry. I get snippy and then I try to cover it up with smiling.

"Can I have a medium caramel coffee and a chocolate mousse cake please. Oh, and a few of those macaroons too."

The girl behind the counter smiled at me and started getting my order. I started flipping through the photos on my camera as I waited.

"Can I help you, sir," another girl from behind the counter asked. I looked up quickly and saw that she was looking at someone over my shoulder. I took a sidestep to give the person some space to place their order. I continued flipping through my camera as the girl that was helping me started placing my order on the counter and the other woman was placing the other person's order next to mine.

And then my clumsiness kicked in. As I took out my wallet and handed the woman the money for the order I knocked over everything on the counter as I went to pick up the food. My coffee and the other person's coffee spilled all over the counter, the floor and onto their shoes.

"I am so sorry! Holy shit," I practically shouted. Thankfully I said the last part in English without thinking. That last thing I needed now was people to hear me swear. Then I switched back to Japanese. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

" That's quite alright," a soft yet masculine voice said softly.

As I had been apologizing to the stranger I had grabbed some napkin's from a dispenser on the counter and started cleaning up the mess on the floor.

"No, no it's not." I looked up, seeing him for the first time. I was stunned for a second at the man's beauty. He was tall with stunning green eyes and the most striking shade of red hair I had ever seen. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I'm going to buy you another one."

I watched him take napkins as well and bend down to help me clean up our spilled drinks. "There is no need to do that."

"Yes, please let me. I wasn't paying attention."

"It was an accident. We all make them."

Once the floor was clean the man took all of the napkins and walked them over to the trash can by the front door.

By the time I stood up one of the people behind the register cleaned up the mess on the counter.

"I'm so sorry about that." Before the man came back I quickly took my wallet back out and handed the woman my credit card. "Can you please get him another of whatever it was he ordered?"

The woman took the card with an annoyed smile. "Would you like another order as well?"

"Yes please."

 _ **That's one way to make friends,**_ Mui said as she chuckled.

 _Shut up! I feel so bad. Of course I would do this on my first day._

 _ **He's very handsome. You should ask him what his name is.**_

 _No. No more men._

As the man came back over I smiled at him apologetically. "I so sorry, again."

He smiled at me and god, it was a stunning smile. "It's honestly alright."

He looked down at the clean counter and watched as the woman started putting our order together again. I watched him reach for his wallet. "It's already taken care of." He looked back at me again, his smile still in place.

"Thank you, but you didn't have to do that.

"Yes I did."

The woman handed me my card back and I put it in its little home. My camera, thankfully, didn't get wet in my slip-up. It had been dangling from my neck while I was looking at my pictures when I made my mess. I quickly slipped it back into my bag before picking up the man's coffee and his parfait. "Here you go."

He took it from me gingerly. "Thank you."

I picked up my new coffee and plate of desserts and assumed that was going to be the end of it. I moved passed him, head down in embarrassment, and found a seat next to the window. I figured he'd take his breakfast and leave me to my shame, but no. He had to dig it in a little more.

 _ **He's coming over here.**_

 _No he's not._ My back was to the front door and to the man, but Mui could see everything. She was able to walk around freely within a certain range of me.

 _ **Yes he is.**_

 _There is no way he wou-_

"Hello, again," he said as he moved around to face me. I looked up at him and could feel my cheeks turning red. "I thought I should at least know the name of the woman who bought me my breakfast."

I chuckled nervously and extended my hand to him. "I'm Sarah."

He reached out and took my hand in his. "I am Shuichi. It's nice to meet you."

"Is it," I said sarcastically.

"Yes," he chuckled. Thankfully, it seemed that he caught onto my sarcasm. Otherwise, why would he chuckle?

 _ **Stop acting like a silly girl and ask him to sit with you.**_

 _I spilled his food all over the place. The last thing he's going to want to do is eat with me._

 _ **You never know until you ask.**_

 _I'm not goin-_

"Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Mui isn't the type to say 'I told you so,' but she made herself visible to me and the smirk she had on her face spoke volumes. She loves it when she's right.

"Sure." I sat up as straight as I could and I watched him sit on the other side of the table across from me. "That looks delicious." I pointed to the parfait.

"It is. Everything here is excellent."

"Do you come here often?"

"Yes. I go to school a few blocks away from here and I stop by for breakfast."

I perked up a bit at the sound of school. "What do you study?"

"I go to the medical school on Oak Street."

"Really, that's amazing."

 _ **He reminds me of your grandfather.**_

 _Right!? He even talks like Pap._

"Do you already know what kind of doctor you would like to be?"

"Either a neurosurgeon or cardiovascular surgeon."

 _Ok, that's way too similar._ I peaked to Mui through the corner of my eye. Her face looked amused, but her eyes said something else. Something I couldn't read and that wasn't there before.

"Small world. My Pap is a neurosurgeon."

"Really? Does he work in the city?"

"No, he's back in the States."

"Is that where you're from?"

"Yes. I moved here for school."

Shuichi nodded and took a bite of his strawberry and kiwi parfait before speaking again. I followed his lead and took a my cake.

"What are you studying?"

"Teaching. I'd like to be an English teacher here."

"Teaching is a very honorable profession. Being a natural English, any school would be lucky to have you."

"Thank you." I blushed again and mentally kicked myself. This wasn't me. I was never the type to blush, especially around men. So why was I doing it because of this stranger. "Can I ask you an honest question?"

I almost laughed as his face twisted in confusion. It was so quick, I almost didn't catch it, but it was there. "Of course."

"How is my accent? Am I pronouncing things correctly? Sometimes I feel like I'm slipping on my words."

"You speak wonderfully. Even when you swear in English."

I groaned loudly and he laughed at me. "Of course you would know what I said."

"It was very amusing."

I chuckled at myself and rolled my eyes playfully. "I'm glad you find me entertaining."

We chatted nonchalantly as we finished out breakfast. Mui didn't chime in again, which was a little surprising. She wasn't one to insert herself in every conversation, but the way she was looking at him didn't make me comfortable. I learned that he didn't live too far away from here and he recommended some restaurants and shopping areas that I could go to.

"So, you asked me an honest question. May I ask you one?"

"Of course."

He pointed at the small remaining bite of cake and two macaroons. "Why dessert for breakfast?"

I laughed loudly, earning us some questioning looks. "I had a bad day yesterday and I needed a pick-me-up. Yesterday was the big move and it was just one annoying thing after another and I figured sugar and coffee was the best thing to make everything better."

"Oh, so you just moved here?" I nodded my head and took my last bite of cake. "Then I should've bought you breakfast to celebrate this milestone in your life."

"You can next time." The second the words left my mouth I felt like an idiot. I could see the side look Mui was giving me.

 _I don't know why I said that. He doesn't know me well enough to know that was a joke. He's going to think I'm crazy._

But he didn't say anything. He just smiled and drank his coffee.

Once we finished eating he walked me to the front door and we stood just outside the cafe. All mishaps and rambling aside, I had a nice time talking with him.

"Thank you for having breakfast with me. I have to admit, I was a little worried at first."

"Why is that?"

"Well, I did start a food fight with you," I said sarcastically.

"It was a good fight."

I smiled at him, something that was become too easy towards a stranger I was probably never going to see again. "Thank you again, Shuichi."

"My pleasure."

I waved goodbye to him, turned in the direction of home and started off. Once I was sure I was out of earshot I took out my phone and hit speed dial. The line began to ring and then went to voicemail. "Jackson, wake up and call me back. I need to talk to you. You're not going to believe my morning."

\~/~\~/

Kurama watched Sarah until she reached the end of the block. He wanted to make sure she knew where she was going and since she didn't seem confused he took that as a good sign that she was fine. Then he turned and walked the other way.

The fox demon was exhausted. He had a long night with Yusuke and the others. They had just finished a case and he was making his way home after leaving Genkai's, but had stopped for a quick bite. He could've stayed at master's house, but he was eager to sleep in his own bed.

Despite his fatigue, Kurama was glad that he stopped at the shop. Meeting Sarah was an unexpected surprise. There was something about her that attracted him to her. She had some kind of light that she gave off that made him feel something he couldn't place. It was that light that made him want to sit with her. He knew it wasn't something any typical human would posses and it intrigued him. At first he thought it was spirit energy, but it wasn't and that's what made him even more curious.

Just as he rounded the corner to his home, Botan floated down from the sky. Without saying a word so no to attract attention, Kurama slipped into a side ally to speak with his friend privately.

"Good morning, Botan."

"Hello, Kurama," she said in her sing-song voice. "I'm sorry to bother you so early, but Lord Koenma needs your assistance."

"Another case for Yusuke?"

"Not exactly. It's something a little less dangerous."

Botan didn't need to say more. She materialized long enough for him to hoist himself onto her oar before turning intangible again and floated off.

The ride to Spirit World was short and familiar. Kurama silently hoped this meeting wouldn't take long as he walked to Koenma's office. He was extremely tired and needed his rest.

As usual, Koenma was behind his desk stamping papers when Kurama and Botan walked in. And a usual, Koenma gave Kurama a warm welcome.

"How may I help you, Koenma?"

"I have a favor to ask of you," Koenma replied as he opened the side drawer of her desk and pulled out a photograph. "It's nothing big, but something I know I can trust you with." He placed the photograph on the desk and Kurama walked closer to the desk and pick it up. "I need you to find and befriend this girl. Her name is-"

"Sarah," Kurama cut it.

"Yes. How do you know that?" Koenma was clearly surprised.

"Because I just had breakfast with her," he said as he placed the photo of the brown eyed, curly haired woman back on the desk. "She moved to Japan yesterday to study teaching."

Koenma leaned back in his chair, thinking that this was too big of a coincidence. "What do you make of her?"

"She seems to be a good person. Chatty, animated and intelligent. Though there is something about her that I can't quit place."

"As if she has something that shouldn't be there."

"Yes. I don't believe she is a demon, but I don't believe she has spirit energy either. Has she done something to peak Spirit World's interest?"

"No, she has done nothing wrong. I'm just answering a request from an old friend. Just watch her from a distance or befriend her if you wish. I leave the decision up to you."

Kurama didn't press the issue. She wasn't a demon and no clear threat, so he didn't have to worry about her. Now Koenma gave him a reason to seek her out again. This away he can figure out exactly what and who she is.


	4. Ch 3 - Smells

AN: For anyone who is interested, the plush toys in this chapter are real. You can find them at /product/6708/?rrec=true&pfm=Recs_NoSearchResults_6708_3. They're pretty cute.

"Speaking"  
 _Thinking_  
 _ **Mui**_

\~/~\~/

 **Chapter 3: Smells**  
On the way home Sarah stopped at the grocery store she had passed earlier that day. As she was checking out the cashier gave her a quizzical look. To the average person her size she shouldn't be able to carry the number of heavy bags the rest of the way home, but Mui assisted her. As long as Sarah could handle Mui using more of her energy to carry the additional weight, Mui was happy to help.

 _Ya know, if I didn't have you I wouldn't be able to do half of the things in life._

 _ **Of course you would. It just might take you longer.**_

Sarah chuckled. _So...today was interesting._ Mui didn't reply. _What was with the change of heart? At first you were all about how cute he is and then you started staring him down. What's wrong?_

 _ **He smell off.**_

 _...he smells off? What do you mean he smells off? I thought he smelled like a rose._

 _ **I mean he doesn't smell like a typical human.**_

That made Sarah break stride for a second. _What are you saying exactly?_

 _ **I'm just saying that you should be careful around him if you ever see him again.**_

Instantly, her mind went to a dark place. She knew what Mui was and why she lived in Human World. She also knew what Jackson did. Though he never told her the specifics of his job and who he worked with, Mui filled in many of the blanks. The only thing she knew about demons was that they're bloodthirsty creatures. Most of them anyway.

Sarah knew she could get in a lot of trouble if anyone ever figure out just how much she knew about demons and Spirit World. Mui made it very clear that the things she told the girl were secrets that were to remain between the two of them. Sarah didn't even tell Jackson what she knew and he was the one who told her the basics of what a Spirit Detective was. She didn't even tell him about Mui.

 _Do you think he's a demon? Or did he come from that other world? The ghost one._

 _ **I don't believe he's a creature from Spirit World, but I don't believe he's a full demon either. Perhaps a half-breed.**_

 _Well, I like him. He was nice to me and that's all that matters._

 _ **Just be cautious, Flower.**_

Sarah pondered her friend's warning. Mui had never steered her wrong before, but something in her gut made her think Mui was overreacting. _So...you got all of that from his smell?_

 _ **Yes, Flower.**_

 _Do all demons have a strong nose like yours,_ Sarah asked with a chuckle.

 _ **No, but most are not as strong as I am.**_

Once Sarah got home she put her groceries away and set to work on cleaning up her apartment. Her grandmother went above and beyond when it came to her granddaughter's move. Not only did she find the apartment, but she bought just about everything for it. Sarah had no idea what her Gigi had bought until she started going through the boxes. The only things she knew that were shipped were the few things she packed herself.

When Sarah told her Gigi that she wanted to go to college to be a teacher the older woman was thrilled. Both of Sarah's parents were teachers and she was completely supportive of her granddaughter's decision. Then when Sarah added that she wanted to teach English in Japan, she could hardly contain her joy. She researched the best colleges in the country and helped Sarah with her applications. All the while she was picking out places for her granddaughter to stay. There wasn't a single doubt in her mind that Sarah wouldn't get into her dream school.

However, there was some restrictions to Sarah moving so far from home. The teen girl wanted to have the typical college life. She wanted to live on campus and get a job, but neither of her grandparents were having that. The way they saw it, if she planned on living somewhere where they don't have quick access to her then they were going to do everything in their power to protect her from afar.

Sarah was going to live in an upscale neighborhood in a place that had a doorman so nobody questionable would go in and out of the building. Someplace that is close to school and she wouldn't have to wonder too far away from home to find the things she needs. She was also not to get a job the first two year of school. They would fund all of her needs. The only things that she needed to do was study and get good grades.

Money was not a factor in any of this and it made Sarah slightly uncomfortable. Her grandparents were well of and money wasn't an issue. However, they lived a very big and fancy lifestyle, something that Sarah never felt comfortable with. They always bought is expensive things and as grateful as she was for it, it also made her feel a tad guilty. As if that money that was put towards her could've been given to someone less fortunate.

The first thing to get unpacked was the Bluetooth speaker and her favorite coffee mug. It was bright yellow with a grey silhouette of Totoro on the side. Jackson had given it to her for her last birthday. After making her second cup of coffee she connected her cell phone to the speaker and hit random. The Greatest by Sia began to play and she started singing along as she began to dig through the boxes.

\~/~\~/

 **Sarah's POV**  
By the time it was time for dinner I was thoroughly exhausted. I had completely cleaned up the kitchen and bathroom, made the bed and unpacked some clothes, but haven't put everything. I moved my photography equipment into the spare bedroom, which I'm planning on turning into my study room.

Superstition by Stevie Wonder was playing now and Mui was humming along as I flopped on the couch. "I'm so tired."

 _ **I know, Flower. You were busy today.**_

"How do you like the place so far?"

 _ **I like it. It will look nicer once you hang some of your art.**_

"I'll get o that tomorrow. I'm done for the night." Right on cue, my phone began to ring. "Who is it?"

 _ **Jackson.**_

I jumped up from the couch and darted to the kitchen island to grab my phone.

"Hello, my darling," I said. I could feel my lips tighten as a smiled, waiting eagerly to hear his voice.

"Hey, you. How are you doing?"

"Exhausted. I miss you. When are you coming to see me?"

He laughed and the sound almost made me melt. "You just got there. You can't miss me that badly. And you left me, remember?"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, young man."

"You always call me that, but I'm older thank you."

"But you don't act like it."

We teased each other for a little while longer before I told him about my day. He got a good laugh at me for what I did to Shuichi.

"That poor guy probably went home and was upset that you ruined his new shoes."

"Do you thing they were new?"

"I don't know. Did they look new?"

"I...I don't remember."

"I'm teasing you, Sarah."

"I know, but now I'm paranoid."

"You said he goes there all the time, right? I'm sure you'll see him again. The next time you do, ask him. Better yet, go out and get him some new shoes. He'll love that."

"Oh, haha, smartass."

"But let me ask you a very serious questions."

"...ok."

"I need you completely honest with me, Sarah. No lies."

"Do I ever lie to you, Jackson. Come one, spit it out."

"Is he cute and does he have a nice ass?"

I busted out laughing so hard that it hurt to breath. "Wha...what?" We had been flirty and playful and the only time he could be serious is ask about Shuichi's butt. "I don't...I don't know. I wasn't really looking."

"Then what good are you?"

"I ruined his breakfast! I just wanted to eat in peace and forget it happened, but he followed me."

"Do you think he thinks you have a nice ass?"

I rolled my eyes and tried not to laugh again before looking over at Mui. She had a distant look on her face, clearly not amused by our immature conversation. "Jackson, I don't know and I don't care. I'm never going to see him again. But if it makes you happy, if I ever do see him again, I'll ask him. Will that make you happy?"

"Yes. Wait...no. Both." I walked to the fridge and pulled out a Pepsi, it hissed and I opened the cap. "Is that a soda I hear?"

"Umm," I took a quick swig and swallowed. "No."

"I heard you open it."

"Mind your business." I have a massive caffeine addiction and he had been trying to get me to kick in the last several years. I could barely go a day without have a soda. "Don't you judge me."

"Oh, you're judged." I heard a voice in the distance from his end of the call. I could tell he turned his head away because he sounded distant. "I have to go, but before I do I have to say I'm a little concerned. You haven't said anything about my gift yet."

I looked over at Mui, who shrugged in response. "What are you talking about?" I took another drink.

"Gigi said she'd have the movers hide something special."

I smiled into the phone. I had a good idea what he was talking about. "Did you get me sick?"

"I don't know. Did I?"

I left the kitchen and headed to the study room. Jackson and I had this long standing game that we would re-gift each other this stuffed animal. It's was a little light blue plushy with big black eyes that resembled the Flu virus. Sometimes we would gift it during birthdays and holidays. Other times we would hide it and it would take weeks, sometimes months, for one of us to notice the hidden cold.

I looked through all the boxes that were left and I couldn't find it. I looked in the closest, under the couch, on the balcony. Nothing. "I think you're lying to me."

"Do I ever lie to you?"

"I can't find this thing. It's driving me nuts."

"Then I guess you're going to have to get a bit more creative with your search."

I scanned the main room and my eyes landed on the dishwasher, the one place in the kitchen I hadn't touched. I ran over and peaked inside, but nothing was there. I checked the microwave and oven, still nothing.

"Where the hell is it," I grumbled, only to get a laugh from Jackson and a chuckle from Mui.

I started over, looking all over the place and still found nothing. And then I saw it. The forgotten double sliding doors at the end of the hall. I opened them for the first time and saw a washer and dryer in front of me. I pulled opened the washer and there was nothing. So I tried the dryer and there they were.

"Found 'em," I shouted. Inside was the Flu and another plushy. It was bright yellow with big bright eyes. It looked like a sunny side up egg, but the entire thing was yellow. I read the tag that was attached to it and it read Herpes. "You gave me herpes, you ass!" All three of us broke out in laughter. "So this is the game you wanna play, huh? Alright."

What he doesn't know is that right before I left I bought a new plushy as well and hid it in his apartment. It was bright pink and looked liked a curly pigs tail. I couldn't wait until I got the call that I gave him Syphilis.

"You realize how immature this is, right," I asked with a giggle. "We're eternally fifteen."

"Of course I do and we're going to keep do it until we're ninety and living in a retirement home."

It was true. Jackson was like a brother to me and we were as thick as thieves. We did everything together since we were little. Me leaving to study in Japan was one of the biggest decisions I ever had to make. I didn't like the fact that I was leaving him and half begged him to come with me, but he decided to stay home. He chose to go to New York Law School and become a lawyer like Gigi.

"Thank you, Jackie."

He chuckled, like he always did, when I called him that. "Anytime."

We said our goodbye and I hung up the phone. He said he had some work to do and I didn't press the issues. I told him I loved and he reciprocated the gesture. Once we hung up I immediately called Gigi and Pap to tell them about my day.

\~/~\~/

Kurama ascended the steps to Genkai's temple and took in the perfect weather. His summer classes had just come to an end and he had three weeks before the fall semester started. As long as he didn't have any major Spirit World obligations to attend to, he was going to make the most of his free time.

Sitting outside the large double doors of the temple were Genaki and Yukina having tea. They both welcomed him with warm smiles.

"Hello Kurama," Yukina said softly. "Would you like to have some tea with us?"

"Sure, I can stay for a cup."

Both Genkai and Kurama watch the ice apparition rise and scurried into the temple to grab the fox a mug.

Kurama sat down on the wooden porch next to Genkai."Master Genkai, I have a dilemma of sorts that I think you might be able to help me with."

Genkai smirked before taking a sip of her tea. "I was wondering why you came back here so soon after your last case."

"It has nothing to do with Yusuke or Demon World per say. It's more of a feeling I had the other day after I met this young woman."

"I'm a little too old to be explaining the birds and the bees to you."

Kurama chuckled. "No, it's nothing like that. I met this human a few days ago, but I got that feeling that there was something different about her. I didn't sense any spirit energy and she did not appear to be a demon. Have you ever come across someone like that?"

"Can't say that I have. Could she be a spirit or apparition possessing a human body?"

"No, I don't believe so. It was as if she was calling me. I couldn't turn away from her. "

"Hmm, I've never met someone like that. Maybe she's like a you. A demon in human form."

Kurama pondered the thought. He had never met anyone like him before and the thought intrigued him. That there possibly could be someone he could relate to. He had done very well to keep his spirit energy hidden for the majority of his human life. It wasn't out of the question that another demon could have done the same thing.

Yukina returned with an elegant mug in her hands and resumed her spot on the other side of Genkai. The conversation changed to the end of summer beach party Botan and Keiko were throwing in a few weeks. It was to celebration to another case won and one last summer fling before half to group went back to school.

Despite not being much of a beach person, the fox was looking forward to it. Between having a heavy work load at school, assisting Yusuke in his cases and continuing to train for the next Demon World Tournament left little time for him to relax.

It would also give him time to assess the madness that was going on in his life. After the first Demon World Tournament Kurama was adamant about laying low. He took a job at his step-father's company and helped out with maintaining control over the demons that were trying to slip into the Human World without proper clearance to do so. Ever since the Kekkai Barrier fell, there has been a strange coming from the depths of Demon World. Spirit World had yet to discover what it could be and it worried him. So Kurama decided to change his focus. He decided to study medicine. That way, in case something big were to happen, he would be ready to help take care of any casualties along with helping in battle.

He was aware the more Spirit Detectives were popping up all over the world and they rarely worked alone. Unlike Yusuke who had his friends to help him when he needed them, Koenma began assigning assistance to the detectives. Most remained in the shadows, determined to keep their identities hidden. Although demons were starting to make more of appearance in the Human World, most people looked at it as a global joke. A group of pranksters appearing in the news for publicity.

Kurama stayed longer than he intended, but since he had no pressing business to attend to that day it didn't seem to matter to him. Once he was finished he took the twenty minute stroll to the park by Genkai's home. There had been a flower show going on all week and he had wanted to go. Originally he was going to go with his family, but due to his obligations with Yusuke, he had to sit out on the family fun.

By the time he arrived at the park it was already full of guests. Light polls and trees had strings of lights wrapped around them, balloons floated next to stands that lined the walkways. Children were pulling their parents in different directions and lovers were walking hand in hand. The mixed aroma of flowers and street vendors was an odd, but comforting smell.

Just as Kurama passed the first few stands he could sense that strange feeling, sense her. That pulling feeling that he couldn't explain. His keen green eyes scanned the crowed and then he saw her. She was standing in front of a vendor wearing a tight fitting summer dress that ended half way down her thigh. It was an off-white color with navy blue feather prints sprinkled on it, which complemented her tinted skin. Her hair was down this time, her long tight curls reaching a few inches past her shoulders and her camera bag hung in the crook of her arm.

He approached her silently, watching her as she took a small brown bag from the vender and thanking him. She put it in her bag as she walked in his direction, not looking where she was going.

"If you're not careful," he said as she was about to run into him. Her brown eyes snapped up instantly as she stopped at the sound of his voice. "I'm not going to be the only person you make a grand entrance with." It didn't pass his notice how easily his joke slipped out of him. He typically refrained his teasing for his family and friends, but somehow being around her made things spill out a too effortlessly. It made him uncomfortable.

"Shuichi, hi," she said a little stunned. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. You wouldn't be the first person I would run into without paying attention."

"Do you make it a habit?"

"I try not to, but sometimes my feet do their own thing." She smiled up at him and he returned her gesture. "Have you been here long?"

"No, I just arrived."

"Me too. I was going to hit up that Yaki Imo stand over their before heading in further." Sarah took a quick glance at Mui and saw the blank stare in her friends eyes. "Care to walk with me?" She figured that if he said yes and they spent more time together, Mui would see that he's not a strange guy.

Kurama nodded, much to Sarah's glee, and followed her lead. Side by side they walked to the food stand and each got a baked sweet potato and a bottle of water. As Sarah rummaged through her camera bag Kurama quickly handed the man a few bills before taking their order. Sarah looked up and saw the extended food.

"You said I could buy the second time we met."

Sarah smiled a wide, toothy smile and took her food. "Thank you, but you didn't have to do that."

"Consider it a moving gift."

The theme of the event was cinema. Flower arrangement that fit in a vase to ones that were seven feet tall were so amazing to look at that Sarah had to stop at every stand and took pictures. Hedges were sculpted to look like people. A life size ET was riding a bike and the iconic Silence of the Lambs moth was the size of her head.

As they walked they began to learn a little more about each other. Kurama told her a toned down version as to why he wanted to become a doctor. That he wanted to save people from things that were beyond their control. In turn, she explained that she wanted to become an English teacher because she had always been good at languages and wanted to live in a different country. She chose Japan because she had traveled with her grandmother on a business trip three years prior and fell in love with the country and culture. She found it fascinating that wild deer were allowed to wonder around Nara and she loved the shopping and museums in Osaka.

They came across a musical group accompanied by traditional dancers. As the performance was going on Sarah took the small brown paper bag out of her bag and slipped her and inside it. She pulled out a small silver bracelet with purple and yellow flowers interlaced together. It wasn't something she would typically wear, but it was her first festive purchase in her new home and she was going to cherish it.

"Could you help me with this," she asked as she extended to bracelet to Kurama. "I'm not good at clasping bracelets on my own." Kurama silently took the bracelet from her, his fingers brushing up against her. For the few seconds they touched, all of his suspicions were confirmed. There was no way she was an ordinary human. He felt a shock run through him that he's never felt before. For a split second, a moment so small, he hesitate has he put the bracelet on her. But Mui saw it and she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt strong demon energy in that small touch and she didn't like it. "Thank you," she replied with a smile.

Once the show ended the duo headed towards the exit of the park, but just as they passed the stone opening Sarah made a quick stop at a floral stand. She bought a bouquet of yellow begonia's in varying shades that were put in a glass popcorn container that looked like the quintessential movie theater bag. "These are so cute," she squealed as she took the flowers.

Kurama smiled softly at her glee. He had studied her closely all day and was perplexed by her, to say the least. She was incredibly chatty and said exactly what was on her mind. Her smile was bright and infections. When she ask him a question, she seem to genuinely want to know the answer. Not once did she complain about how crowded the small area was or how hot the day had gotten. She embraced the chaos around them. In a word, she was free.

But the feeling from earlier still disturbed him. It felt unnatural, it felt old, and it conflicted with the type of person she was. She was the world with amazement and curiosity, but the energy she was giving off was old. Something far beyond his years as Yoko Kurama. It frustrated him that he couldn't figure out what she was, but the warm smile she gave him always put his calculating mind at ease.

Kurama walked Sarah back to her apartment building once it was clear that Sarah didn't know how to get back on her own. She had admitted to him that she had been wondering around the city and stumbled across the flower show and wasn't paying attention to how she got there. He told her he didn't mind walking her home since it wasn't that far of a walk from his place.

"So I found a few places online that I want to go to, but since you're the native I want to get your opinion."

"Alright. What did you find?"

"Well, I think one of the first super touristy things I'm going to do is see Mount Fuji. That's an absolute must. I want to see Osaka Castle and go back to Nara. And there are some temples in the city I want to go to. There is one around here somewhere. Genkai Temple."

Kurama eyed the girl with a sideways glace, looking to see if this was some type of test, but she looked as smiley as ever. "It's Genkai's Temple, not Genkai. It was named after the woman who owns it."

"Oh, oops. My mistake."

"What made you decide to visit the temple?"

"It's close by and it's old, which mean it is probably beautiful. I love old beautiful things."

Kurama thought as how he could use this to his advantage. She seemed genuinely interested in going and if he escorted her there then he would be able to introduce her to Genaki. Then, hopefully, she can help him with his dilemma.

"I know the woman who owns the temple. If you'd like, I could take you there."

Sarah's eyes widened and she turned to look at Kurama head on. "Are you serious!? That would be great." For a moment Kurama felt bad for second guessing her intentions. She practically glowed as she beamed up at him.

"Are you doing anything Thursday?"

"Why? Are you asking me on a date?" The moments the words left her mouth Sarah regretted it. Her cheeks began to flush as she rolled her eyes at herself. "I meant it as a joke. Don't think I'm crazy."

Kurama chuckled at her, clearly giving her a pass. "How about friends?"

"Friends works. Friends is good. I mean, if I spill coffee on you and you keep coming back for more, why not?"

When they reached the front door of her apartment building the two exchanged phone numbers. They said their goodbyes and, just like their first meeting, Sarah had to give them yet another memorable moment. She tripped over her own two feet and almost landed face first into the doors. She threw her hands out instinctively to catch herself, but doing so made her drop her flowers.

The popcorn vase, which was made out of class, shattered on the ground. Broken pieces of sharp shards scattered all around them and the flowers landed in a heap.

"Damn it," Sarah cursed in English as she bent down to pick up the pieces. She didn't say it in anger, but more in annoyance.

Kurama bent down to help her, but as he did he pricked his finger on one of the shards. He jerked back instinctively to inspect the damage. I single drop of blood fell, but nothing more. The cut was so minor that he gave it no mind as he went back to picking up the glass. He looked over at Sarah through the corner of her eye and she hadn't seemed to notice.

What he didn't know was that Mui was standing next to him, glaring at the fox as she inhaled his blood. She got all the information she needed from that tiny droplet. She could smell the demon in him and didn't like it. The last thing she needed was a demon by her flower.

\~/~\~/

AN: Don't forget to check out the plushies at /product/6708/?rrec=true&pfm=Recs_NoSearchResults_6708_3 Fun fact, my sister and her friends play this game now that they're in college. Just thought I'd give a little nod to them. They're the ones that got me into YuYu.


End file.
